NHRA Sonoma Nationals
Event 15 of 24 (Sonoma)
Sonoma Raceway
Sonoma, Calif.
July 26-28, 2019
Highlights:
- Tommy Johnson Jr. enters the event fresh off a win from the previous race (Denver) and is looking to capture his third victory of the season en route to ‘sweeping The Swing’
- Ron Capps returns as the 2018 Sonoma Nationals Funny Car runner-up
- Leah Pritchett claimed the 2017 Top Fuel No. 1 qualifier when she powered to the quickest pass in Sonoma Raceway history (3.669-seconds)
- Johnson captured his first professional No. 1 qualifier at Sonoma in 1994 while competing in Top Fuel
- Ahead of the race weekend, Jack Beckman will be honored with the second annual Eric Medlen Award during the 13th annual Eric Medlen Nitro Night fundraising dinner on Thursday, July 25
DSR-Owned Track Records:
Top Fuel, E.T.: 3.669 seconds, Leah Pritchett (2017)
(EXCERPT)
DSR Driver Information:
Funny Car:
TOMMY JOHNSON JR.
Driver of the Make-A-Wish Foundation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
Sonoma Event Highlights:
- 2015 runner-up
- 1994 No. 1 qualifier
2018 Sonoma Recap:
Qualified seventh; Semifinal finish (defeated Cruz Pedregon in E1, Jack Beckman in E2; defeated by Robert Hight in E3)
Last Event (Denver):
Qualified second; Event champion (defeated Jeff Diehl in E1, Jack Beckman in E2, Cruz Pedregon in E3, Bob Tasca III in E4)
2019 Season Statistics:
24 round wins; ranked second in points
Career Statistics:
460 races; 19 wins (two Top Fuel); 18 No. 1 qualifiers (one Top Fuel)
Noteworthy:
Enters the event fresh off of a win from the previous race (Denver) and is looking to capture his third victory of the season en route to ‘sweeping The Swing’
Captured his first professional No. 1 qualifier at Sonoma in 1994 (Top Fuel)
Quotable:
“Sonoma is a great race on the tour. Everyone always looks forward to going there, not only for the race but to enjoy wine country. Coming off the win in Denver, our team has a lot of momentum, and it’s the first time ever that I’ve had the opportunity to ‘sweep the Swing,’ and we need to keep that going and get a win in Sonoma. I know a lot of the crew chiefs are looking forward to getting out of the thin air in Denver and getting back to sea-level racing and I know we are too. Even though the car ran really well in Denver, I think we have a good car no matter the conditions so I’m looking forward to Sonoma and seeing if we can continue that momentum.”
About Don Schumacher Racing
Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) is the winningest team in NHRA Drag Racing history, having claimed more than 325 NHRA national event titles and 17 world championships since opening its doors in 1998.
Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, DSR fields seven professional teams competing in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing series. In Top Fuel, the Matco Tools dragster driven by three-time world champion Antron Brown, the MOPAR/Pennzoil/Sparkling Ice dragster driven by Leah Pritchett and eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher’s machine. In Funny Car, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat driven by 2016 world champion Ron Capps, the Mopar Express Lane/Pennzoil/Sandvik Coromant Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat piloted by Matt Hagan, and in Terry and Doug Chandler’s ‘giving cars,’ 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge, and Tommy Johnson Jr. behind the wheel of the Make-A-Wish Dodge.
DSR also campaigns two Factory Stock Showdown entries. The duo is piloted by Pritchett, the 2018 Factory Stock Showdown Series champion, and former Pro Stock racer Mark Pawuk.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at Shoeracing.com, on Twitter and Instagram at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.